Category: Donor Embryos

Couples who are undergoing fertility treatment in some clinics are being “financially exploited” and having additional investigations that are not necessary, the Oireachtas health committee was told yesterday.

Dr John Waterstone of the Irish Fertility Society said the proposed Government legislation on assisted reproduction should outlaw this.

He said people who are trying to have a baby can end up spending thousands of euro more on these procedures, which will not improve their chances of success.

He was appearing with other fertility experts before the committee to discuss the proposed legislation.

The dramatic growth of the databases is raising ethical challenges for the donor conception community. It has been recognised for some time that donor anonymity can no longer be guaranteed but this hypothetical threat is now very much a reality.

Donor conceived individuals are using genetic genealogy databases to match with genetic relatives and identify their biological parents, and there have been many success stories. There are now also a number of cases where people have accidentally discovered that they were donor conceived after taking a commercial DNA test. Some families who have used the services of a fertility clinic have learnt through DNA testing that the clinic owner substituted his own sperm for that of the father (see BioNews 931).

Traditional methods aren’t typically available for queer people to grow their families, and growing families non-traditionally can be expensive. What are the options and costs for queer couples and individuals to consider when family planning?

The cost to raise a child from birth to 18 years old, not including family planning or college, is estimated by the USDA to be about $245,340. For many LGBT families, this is the minimum cost. This is why lack of financial planning when family planning could put queer families at financial risk.

New Delhi [India], Feb 3 (ANI): About 50% of the cancer patients in India are under the age of 50. Apart from other things, this alarming rate of young cancer victims has also created concerns about preservation of their fertility.

However, experts indicate that the recent technologies and advancements in the IVF sector can help cancer patients to keep the fertility window open for a longer time. Today, cancer victims not only have a better rate of survival but can also think about raising a child and starting a family.